You could have heard a pin drop

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Cliff JonesSite Administrator

Join date : 2010-11-22

Subject: You could have heard a pin drop 2013-09-18, 12:30 pm

Subject: No apologies - oldie but goodie

..Once upon a time when our politicians did not tend to apologize for our country's prior actions, here's a refresher on how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our great country.These are goodJFK'SSecretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's whenDeGaulle decided to pull out of NATO.DeGaulle said he wanted all US military out ofFrance as soon as possible.

Rusk responded,"Does that include those who are buried here?"DeGaulledid not respond.Youcould have heard a pin drop.When in England , at a fairly large conference,Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterburyif our plans for Iraq were just an example of'empire building' by George Bush.

He answered by saying,"Over the years, the United States has sent many ofits fine young men and women into great peril to fight forfreedom beyond our borders.The only amount of land we have ever asked for in returnis enough to bury those that did not return."Youcould have heard a pin drop.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a conference in Francewhere a number of international engineers were taking part,including French and American.During a break, one of the French engineers came back intothe room saying,"Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done?He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesiato help the tsunami victims.What does he intend to do,bomb them?"

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly:"Our carriers have three hospitals on boardthat can treat several hundred people;they are nuclear powered and can supplyemergency electrical power to shore facilities;they have three cafeterias withthe capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day,they can produce several thousand gallons offresh water from sea water each day,and they carry half a dozen helicopters foruse in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.We have eleven such ships;how many does France have?"Youcould have heard a pin drop.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A U.S. Navy Admiralwas attending a naval conferencethat included Admirals from theU.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French NaviesAt a cocktail reception, he found himself standing witha large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries.Everyone was chatting away in English as they sippedtheir drinks,but a French admiral suddenly complained that,whereas Europeans learn many languages,Americans learn only English.He then asked,"Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferencesrather than speaking French?"

Without hesitating,the American Admiral replied,"Maybe it's because theBrit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americansarranged it so you wouldn't have to speakGerman."Youcould have heard a pin drop.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ANDTHIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...

Robert Whiting,an elderly gentleman of 83,arrived in Paris by plane.At French Customs,he took a few minutes to locate his passport inhis carry on.

"You have been to France before, monsieur?"the customs officer askedsarcastically.

Mr. Whitingadmitted that he had been to Francepreviously.

"Then you should know enoughto have your passport ready."

The American said,"The last time I was here,I didn't have to show it."

"Impossible..Americans always have to show their passports onarrival in France !"

The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look.Then, he quietly explained,''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach onD-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country,I couldn't find a single Frenchmanto show a passport to."

You could have heard a pin drop.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ifyou are proud to be an American, pass this on!If not, delete it.I am proud to be of this land -- AMERICAI am proud to be an American

HAVE A GOOD AND BLESSED DAY

_________________I'm a Science Thinker, Radio Tinkerer, and all around good guy. Just ask Me!